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  • FC Seoul vs Western Sydney Wanderers 17/9/14 7:30PM

    mack

    By mack

    FC Seoul vs Western Sydney Wanderers

     

    afc_acl_logo.png

     

    fcseoullogo.pngVS western_sydney_logo.png

     

    Date and Local Kick-Off Time at Stadium: Wednesday 17 September 2014 - 7:30PM

     

    Sydney Kick-Off Time: 8:30PM EST

     

    Round: Semi Final

     

    Competition: Asian Champions League

     

    Location: Seoul, South Korea

     

    Stadium: Seoul World Cup Stadium

     

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    Wanderer74

    As long as our goal scoring record in the ACL is upheld, I am sure our defence will set up a good foundation for the second leg in a fortnight.

     

    1-1

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    Taurus

    Western Sydney Wanderers fans descend on Seoul for ACL semi-final Date    September 15, 2014 - 6:13PM

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    Dominic Bossi Sports reporter

     

    Article%20Lead%20-%20wide6126998410h9ph1

     

    Red-and-black army: The Wanderers' fans have quickly made a name for themselves. Photo: Getty Images

     

    When it comes to football games, Western Sydney Wanderers fans Michael Hoenselaars and Pablo Medina have seen it all. They have been to World Cups, European Championships and UEFA Champions League finals, but say they have never been as excited for a football trip as this – a chance to see a club from their home in western Sydney fight for a place in the Asian Champions League final.

    They are part of an expected travelling contingent of about 100 passionate Wanderers fans who have made the trip to the South Korean capital for the club's historic ACL semi-final first leg against FC Seoul. They were part of the half a dozen red-and-black-hooped jerseys in sight at Incheon International Airport on Monday morning and will be part of a loud horde of many more who will fill local bars and the away end at the Seoul World Cup stadium later this week. They had less than two week's notice to book flights after the Wanderers progressed past the quarter-final stage, but the duo required a matter of seconds to decide whether to make the trip.

    "We're big soccer fans, we've been to World Cups, [European] Champions Leagues, European cups, that's what we do," Hoenselaars said. "Soccer is our life, so to jump here with the Wanderers is the ultimate trip. It's our home team, it's who we support, so it wasn't never a doubt. It's a trip of a lifetime. For the Wanderers, we had to come here."

     

    Article%20Lead%20-%20wide6126998410h9or1

     

    Pumped: Wanderers gloveman Ante Covic. Photo: Getty Images

     

    There is a growing sense in Sydney's west that this incredible continental run by the Wanderers is continuing to gather momentum and supporters are expected to fill the stadium on Wednesday night. After the vibrant fanfare that welcomed the club home at Sydney Airport following their quarter-final victory over Guangzhou Evergrande, many fans decided to make the journey for their inaugural semi-final clash.

    "I've gone to Melbourne, Perth but for the AFC this is the first one," Medina said. "It doesn't feel real real, were just a club in our third year and here we are, playing a semi-final of the champions league."

    Hundreds more Western Sydney fans held back on a midweek international trip to Korea in favour of a trip to the Middle East in the event the Wanderers progress to the final at the expense of last year's runner-up. Should the Wanderers beat Seoul over two legs, they will play one match in either the UAE or Saudi Arabia. 

    Close to a full house is expected to fill into the 66,000 capacity of the World Cup stadium in Seoul and the players are feeling the sense of excitement that has gripped the fans. Usually calm goalkeeper Ante Covic can't help but dream of a title having come this far. 

    "Playing in a semi-final of a champions league, it doesn't get much bigger, so we're really looking forward to it, we've got a chance to get to the final and go even further than that. There's so much dangling there in front of us for us to achieve and it's a moment a lot of us will look back on," Covic said. 

    Brazilian playmaker Vitor Saba has already made a name for himself in this competition with a role in a controversial spat with Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi and could perhaps make headlines with his performances after hinting he is in line to make his first start for his new club on Wednesday night. "I'm very excited to maybe do my first start for the club in a very important match as well so it's a perfect scenario," Saba said. 


     
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    Pup55

    Interesting to see how we line up with Juric, Santalab, Cole suspended, and Spira still injured.

     

    Actually, not really interesting. I reckon it has to be something like this.

     

    Haliti

     

    Bridge - Saba - Kubi

     

    La Rocca - Poljak

     

    Golec - NTS - Hamill - Mullen

     

    Covic

     

    - Haliti has to play up top, with Tomi and Santa both suspended.

    - With Shannon also suspended, this means we need someone to play wide in the midfield three (kubi / haliti / cole the only ones to start there so far), which means Bridge will slot back into his natural position of LW.

    - This then opens up the CAM spot for Saba :xbop:  

     

    Whilst we are down on troops, essentially our back 7 are all there, which will lay a pretty solid foundation and make us hard to break down. An away goal, and keeping up that record of scoring in every match would be AMAZING.

     

    COYW

    Edited by Pup55
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    wswnick

    Interesting to see how we line up with Juric, Santalab, Cole suspended, and Spira still injured.

     

    Actually, not really interesting. I reckon it has to be something like this.

     

    Haliti

     

    Bridge - Saba - Kubi

     

    La Rocca - Poljak

     

    Golec - NTS - Hamill - Mullen

     

    Covic

     

    I'd say that's spot on.

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    Whitey

    Interesting to see how we line up with Juric, Santalab, Cole suspended, and Spira still injured.

     

    Actually, not really interesting. I reckon it has to be something like this.

     

    Haliti

     

    Bridge - Saba - Kubi

     

    La Rocca - Poljak

     

    Golec - NTS - Hamill - Mullen

     

    Covic

     

    - Haliti has to play up top, with Tomi and Santa both suspended.

    - With Shannon also suspended, this means we need someone to play wide in the midfield three (kubi / haliti / cole the only ones to start there so far), which means Bridge will slot back into his natural position of LW.

    - This then opens up the CAM spot for Saba :xbop:  

     

    Whilst we are down on troops, essentially our back 7 are all there, which will lay a pretty solid foundation and make us hard to break down. An away goal, and keeping up that record of scoring in every match would be AMAZING.

     

    COYW

    He played that exact same line-up for the game against Al Jazira.

     

    As in regards for the bench i bet it will be the following:

    Bouzanis
    Trifiro
    Kuzmanovski
    Fofanah
    Sortirio
    Alessi
    Perkatis
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    BohemianDublin

    Yes, think that starting XI is most likely.

     

    A lot depends on LaRocca and Poljak.

    They were excellent against Evergrande.

    But especially away we need another immense effort.

    In an away leg like the tie hinges on the two defending midfielders.

    We have two in form.

     

    On the counter attack - Bridge, Saba, Kubi and Haliti look promising.

    We will get a few half chances in the game.

    We just have to put one of them in the net.

     

    Excited.

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    NickNova

    If the 'La Poljak' can keep it together we should be able to hold the ball and work it up through Saba onto Haliti to score a goal like he did against CCM in season one during poznan time.

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    Whitey

    Is Kuzmanovski in the ACL squad?

    If he isn't it will have to be another Youth player as the rest of the senior squad is either in the team already, injured or suspended.

     

     

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    Stevo99

    If Saba can play 90, then he'll start. Otherwise we might see Trifiro there as the AM which we've seen a couple times.

     

    That quote from Saba in the article above surprised me, I thought (and still do think) Popa will play Trifiro. Without our two main strikers and Cole who probably would have started, I wouldn't be surprised if we went for control and stability. Saba can come on after about 60 mins when the game opens up.

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